Play ball: Island Little League kicks off season

by Kevin Cassidy
Islander Correspondent

The fifth annual Alan James Memorial Tennis Tournament was played by the Anna Maria Island Community Center Tennis Seniors March 22-23 at the Center’s tennis courts. The Seniors are approximately 80 strong, and 24 players participated in the tourney.

The event is a yearly culmination for the senior regulars at the Center and is named for the late longtime winter resident and avid tennis player Alan James of Canada. James helped organize the tournament every year before his death in 2001 at age 89 and helped to establish the Center’s Tennis Seniors.

The tournament is a round-robin doubles competition in which randomly selected teams play and each game is worth one point. At the conclusion of the game, the teams split up, the winners move, the losers stay and split so that in the end, every player has played with all participants in the tourney. Each player accumulates individual points to determine an overall winner.

Kathleen Horrocks of Yorkshire, England, will head home with the news that she earned 38 of a possible 48 points to win the overall title. Husband Peter Horrocks took second in Division I with 31 points, while Stan Heishman came in third with 30 points.

Kareen Gilbert and Shirley Wisnewski tied for first in Division II with 30 points. They were followed in the standings by Dolce Little, who finished with 28 points, while Kathy Rose came in third with 27 points.

After play concluded, the players retired to the Sandbar restaurant where everyone enjoyed a buffet dinner and the winners received their trophies.

Little League needs equipment

Little League and Junior League baseball are under way, but apparently all is not good. Most of the safety equipment that is vital to youth baseball is old and damaged and needs to be replaced.

The Anna Maria Island Little League board of directors is seeking sponsors to raise money to purchase new equipment. For $500, “grand slam” sponsors will receive a field banner advertising their business and a spot on the permanent sign under the press box listing all contributors.

Out-field banners are also available for $150. For more information, contact board member Dawn Wash at 725-1403.

Horseshoe news

Four teams advanced from pool play with undefeated records during March 22 horseshoe action at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. The first semifinal saw Fritz Erdich and Tom Rhodes defeat the team of Ron Pepka and Debbie Rhodes, while Ron Slagh and Rod Bussey got past Norm Good and Harry Stoltzfus to advance to the championship match.

Slagh and Bussey easily won the championship match over Erdich and Rhodes by a 22-10 score.

Cathy Stoltzfus teamed up with “pit rookie” Tim Holton to defeat the team of Ron Pepka and Leo Hutton to capture the March 18 horseshoe competition.

Play gets under way at 9 a.m. every Wednesday and Saturday at the Anna Maria City Hall pits. Warm ups begin at 8:45 a.m. followed by random team selection. There is no charge to play and everyone is welcome.

The Anna Maria Shuffleboard Club welcomes players Monday-Friday at 1 p.m. at Anna Maria City Hall. Anyone interested in playing, regardless of skill level is invited to play.

Key Royale golf news

Barb Carr, Jean Holmes and Dorothy McKinna each fired an even-par 32 to win the ladies flight AA low-net golf competition at the Key Royale Club on March 21. Nancy Grimme was a shot back at 33, while Lois Biel and Sara Falk each finished with a 34 to tie for fourth place.

Flight B winner was Meredith Slavin, whose 32 was one shot better than Joy Nelles and two shots ahead of Dolores Jorgensen and Sally Keyes, who tied for third.

Nell Bergstrom and Sharon Conlon each fired a three-over 35 to tie for first in flight C, while Terry Westby’s two-under 30 was good for first place in flight D. Sally Mauer finished in second place with a 33, while Jean Tourt shot a 35 to finish in third.

Jane Winegarden caused a stir in her group when she sank her approach shot on the always dangerous hole No. 9.

Senior tennis tourney to benefit Special Olympics

The fourth annual tennis fundraiser for seniors will be held on Saturday, April 8, at the El Conquistador Racquet Club in Bradenton. The event, which is a fundraiser for the Manatee County Special Olympics, will be followed by dinner at the Anna Maria Oyster Bar, which is included in the $35 entrance fee.

For more information or to register, call JoAnne Driscoll at 778-9150.

Pickleball comes to Center

Pickleball, the fastest growing sport in the United States, is being played at the Anna Maria Island Community Center on Monday and Thursday evenings from 7-9 p.m. Pickleball, a combination of tennis and badminton, is played by two or four people using wooden paddle/racquets and a whiffle ball. If you are over 21 years of age and interested in this exciting new game, come on down to the Center. Cost is $5 for members and $8 for nonmembers.

For more information, contact Andy Jonatzke at 778-1908.

Little League quiet

There were no scheduled games for the past week due to spring break for Island kids.

Have your say:

No comments for this page. Feel free to be the first

Username:

Contact:

(email or url)

Subject:

Your View:

I wish to receive your weekly emails.

Please submit my "say" to the printed paper (full name, address, phone number are required for publication, although only name and city of residence are published in the print edition.

Full Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Please enter the security code below:

Get breaking news

Sign up to receive breaking news alerts
via e-mail. We'll send you a notice when the news and classifieds
appear online every week, before the print edition hits the streets.